SETTING FITNESS GOALS: MISTAKES WE MAKE

FIRST, ASK YOURSELF . . .

It’s easy to get carried away when we make up our minds to take charge of our health and fitness. We want to get started quickly and we want to see results quickly. But, is it reasonable to expect our body to react quickly?

IS MY BODY REBELLING?

When starting any new fitness or diet regimen, you need to expect your body to react. Sometimes those reactions aren’t what we hoped they would be. Keep this in mind when setting new goals.

ARE MY EXPECTATIONS UNREALISTIC?

In today’s world, we’re surrounded by images and hype telling us how we should look, behave, eat, and on and on. It’s important to set our fitness and health goals specific for our body – not an image on a screen.

AM I SETTING MYSELF UP FOR FAILURE?

We all want to jump in and get started with our new fitness plan ASAP! That’s great just out of the gate, but what happens a few weeks in? We get tired or distracted with life’s responsibilities and – oops – our workout is rescheduled. Make sure your new fitness plan is reasonable for your lifestyle. That is key in setting yourself up for SUCCESS.

2020

A YEAR FOR

CHANGE

GOAL SETTING FOR SUCCESS

DO YOUR HOMEWORK

Take a hard look at the past year including your workouts, your eating habits and even your sleep routine. Did they get you the results you want? If you feel you need to make changes, make those changes thoughtfully. Think about YOUR body, not some image you’ve seen that you want to replicate. What worked for you? What didn’t get you the results you wanted? Now, make a plan that will get you where you want to be.

IT'S YOUR BODY

It’s understandable that you want to make changes to your body. Ask yourself these questions to get started in figuring out how to accomplish those changes.

What is my metabolism up to these days? Your diet can impact your metabolism so this is a key area to consider.

Can I adjust my schedule? Be realistic when planning a new workout regimen when it comes to allotted time. You don’t want to get in the habit of cancelling workouts.

SET GOALS

When we say set “your” goals, we mean goals that are for you and about you — not for your kids or your spouse or your friend’s perceptions of what you need. Write them down.

For example:

Schedule strength training twice a week because you like the way you feel after that workout

Lose 10 pounds within the next 4 months because that will make you feel better and happier

Improve your run time because that’s a goal that will make you feel like you’re growing and getting more competitive as a runner

The number of goals you set for yourself is up to you. Remember to be realistic. It feels better to be successful meeting one goal that to fail at 2 or 3 goals because you didn’t have the bandwidth to do what’s necessary.

PREPARE YOURSELF

You’ve set your goals, now it’s time to figure out what actions are necessary to achieve them. Make a plan, write it down, follow the plan. Simple, right? Actually, it can be simple and it can even be FUN!

Breakfast (need protein, carbs)

Workout

Lunch (need vegetables, protein)

Meditate or quiet time to soothe

Dinner (need protein, carbs)

Shower

Time for Netflix!

Put some things on your list that are quick and easy to cross off just to make yourself feel good (it’s important!). Don’t think of this as a to do list, think of it as your plan to accomplish the goals you’ve carefully considered that will make you feel better and happier.

MAKE UP YOUR MIND

You’ve got this! Positive thinking can add so much to our attitudes, and that can make a huge difference in how we execute our plan.

THE BOTTOM LINE

Make efforts to ensure your success by considering what you need and how to achieve it without putting too much stress on your body and your schedule. One more thing, spend time with people who support your goals. Positive input can make a BIG DIFFERENCE!